Switch



S. HELD SWITCH File'd July 25, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lli J ////////////////////////////////////7//////f7/// S. HELD Aug. 11, 1931.

SWITCH Filed July 25, 1929 3 Sheets -Sheet 2 Aug. 11, 1931.

s. HELD SWITCH Filed July 25, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 11, 1931 UNITED STATES SIIGFBIED HELD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINGIS swrrcH Application led July 25,

The present invention has to do with improvements in switches. The switch construction herein disclosed is ofthe mercury Contact type in which the closing of the cir.-

cuit is accomplished by the Contact of a body of mercury with the terminal contacts in the switch element.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved connection in which the tubes or containers holding the mercury are moved back and forth with a snap action. This will insure an improved operation since the opening and closing kot t-he circuit will be accomplished more quickly andv with less burning of the mercury and contact points than would otherwise be the case.

Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of a switch construction in which thc shifting of the mercury contacts 2 is accomplished by the raising and lowering of a float. For example. this float may be actuated by the rising and falling water contained in a reservoirior tank into which the water is pumped under control of such switch.

Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of a swinging bracket on which the mercury containers are mounted, said bracket being adapted to carry one or several of said containers forthe harmonious control of either one circuit or a number of circuits.

In connection with the foregoing a further feat-ure of the invention relates to the provision of an arrangement whereby when two or more of the containers are mounted in a single bracket they may be so arranged that their individual circuits will be opened and closed either simultaneously or in a desired sequence, depending upon the functions which are to be controlled.

Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of a very Simple structure and one which can be mounted within a very rugged housing and which structure is of itself a rugged and durable construction.

Other objects and uses ot' the invention will appear from a detailed description of the same which consists in the features of 1929. Serial No. 380,871.

construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings: A

Figure l shows a. front elevation of a. switch unit embodying the features of the present invention, the same being attached to the upper portion of a water tank wherein is located a float, the rising and falling of which float controls the switch, a portion of the structure being broken away so as to shortenup the ligure;

Figure 2 shows a horizontal section substantiall on the line 2-2 of Figures 1, 3, 4, 5-, an 6, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 shows a front elevation of the switch together with the actuating float, the front cover plate being removed. Figure 3 may be considered as a section on the lines 3 3 of Figures 2, 5, and 6, looking in the directions of the arrows;

Figure 4 shows a view similar to Figure 3 with the exception that it is taken on the lines 4 4 of Figures 2, 5 and 6, looking in the directions of the arrows.

Figure 3 shows the release toggle in disengaged position by means of full lines and in engaged position by means of dot-ted lines; and Figure 4 shows the fioat and slide in lowered position by means of full lines and in raised position by means of dotted lines;

Figure 5 shows a. transverse section on the lines 5-5 of Figures 3 and 4 looking in the directions of the arrows; i

Figure 6 shows a section on the lines 6 6 of Figures 3 and 4, looking in the directions of the arrows; and

Figure 7 shows a horizontal section on the lines 7-7 of Figures 1, 3, and 4, looking in the directions of the arrows. 99

In the drawings; the switch elements are shown as mounted within the housing 10. This housing includes a boX-hap'ed bc'dy member 11, having the floor 12, the top and bottom 13 and 14 respectively, and the side walls 15 and 16 respectively. A cover plate 17 is provided, the same being removably connected to the flanges of the top and bot,- tom and the side walls by means of screws Projecting forward from the upper portion of the back 12 are the lugs 19. A block of insulation 20 is secured thereto by means of the screws 21. This insulating block carries the terminal connectors 22 for the leadin wires which are brought throughan openin 23 in the top 13.

Tn one of the lower corners of the housing there is a lug 23 to which is pivotally connected the retaining toggle 24. This toggle has its lower corner pivoted tov the lug 23 by means of a screw 25 so that the toggle can rock between the dotted and full line positions illustrated in Figure 3.

The toggle itself has the vertical and horizontal arms 26 and 27 respectively, the detailed construction of which will be presently explained..A

There is a vertically movable slide 28 located in one side of the housing. This slide is slotted as shown at 29, and a pair of screws 30 and 31 reach through said slot into a boss 32 on the floor 12 oi" the housing. These screws are separated from each other a Sullicient distance to properly guide the slide in its vertical movements.

The lower end of the slide 28 is provided with a forwardly reaching finger 33 to which is connected the upper end of the operating rod 34. This rod extends down through a boss 35 in the lower end of the housing, a bushing 36 being placed around the rod and threaded up into the boss in order to guide the rod in its movements. Preferably, the bushing 36 is drilled with a hole of somewhat larger size than the rod so as to permit the rod to Imove freely and without binding.

The lower end of the said rod is connected to the float 37 which is supported by the water in the tank 38 wherein the level of the water is being regulated. If desired the bushing 36 may be carried clear down and connected into the upper end of the tank 38 as shown in Fig. 1 so as to serve not only as a bushing but also as a spacer between the housing 10 and the tank 38.

There is an arm 39 pivoted on the screw 31 as shown in a number of the figures. If desired a bushing 40 may be placed on the screw 31 between the slide 28 and the arm 39 so as to properly space the arm 39 away from the slide.

This arm 39 carries the forwardly reaching clips 41 and 42 into which are clipped the mercury switch elements 43 and 44 as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5. As the arm 39 is tilted on the pin 31 the mercury switch elements are likewise tilted back and forth so as to control their switch functions.

A tension spring 45 has one end connected to a pin 46 on the arm 39 and the other end connected to a pin 47 on the slide 28. The positioning of the two pins 46 and 47 with respect to the pivot pin 31 is such that a toggle action is produced which will result in a snap throw o'f the arm 39 either up or down as the case may be. In the positions of Figures 3 and 4 the arm 39 is down. It will be apparent that upon moving the slide 28 upwardly, as soon as the pin 47 passes the line intersecting the pins 31 and 46, the sprin Y 45 will exert an up pull on the arm 39 tending to raise it and thus reverse the switching function.

With the construction thus far explained,

the upward component of force on the arm 39 due to the spring 45 would become operative as soon as the slide 28 had been raised a minute amount past the dead center position; and from that time on the up movement of the arm 39 would be slow and only in proportion to the rising of the slide 28. A contrary action would take place during the lowering of the slide 28.

Tn order to insure a snap operation of the arm 39, for the full amount of movement either up or down, so that said movement is not dependent upon the rate of travel of the slide 28, l have provided means for locking the arm 39 in either its raised or lowered position until the proper instant for releasing it at the eXtreme limit of movement. For this purpose the arm 26 of the bell-crank 24 is provided with upper and lower notches 48 and 49 facing towards the pin 46, as best shown in Figures 3 and 4. The weight of the arm 27 of this bell-crank normally drops it over into the dotted line position of Figure 3 so that the pin 46 will be engaged by either the upper or lower notch as the case may be as long as this engagement is maintained, the arm 39 is held against swing.

The slide 28 is provided with the upper and lower lugs or bosses 50 and 51 respectively which project towards the bell-crank arm 27; and said bell-crank arm is provided with a linger 52 in position to be engaged by said lugs as the slide moves up and down. Upon engagement by either of said bosses, the bellcrank will be tilted into the right-hand or full line position of Figure 3 to thereby disengage the notch 48 or 49 as the case may be from the pin 46.

Immediately above and below the notches 48 and 49 respectively, are the lingers 53 and 54 on the arm 26 of the bell-crank. These are in position to act as upper and lower stops to limit the swings of the pin 46.

It will now be evident that the operation of the device is as follows; When the float 37 is at its lower-most position the slide 28 is correspondingly lowered. The spring 45 exerts a downward pull on the arm 39 which retains the pin 46 against the finger 54 of the bell-crank arm 26, the bell-crank being tilted towards the left or dotted line position of Fi re 3.

At such time the notch 49 engages the pin 46. As the float 37 rises with the accumula,- tion of water or liquid in the tank, the slide the purpose of reversing the 28 also rises until finally the pin 47 crosses the directI line extending between the pins 31 and 46. During this travel the lug 50 on the slide has been carried up away from the fmger 52 thereb allowing the bell-crank 24 to tilt over the ull amount towards the left if auch tilting had not already occurred. This will insure a .complete engagement of the notch 49 with the pin 46. As soon as the slide 28' has risen far enough to carry the pin 47 above the line of intersection between the pins 31 and 46, thespring 45 will exert an u Ward component of pull on the arm 39 ten ing to swing said arm upwardly on the pin 31 for switch. This upswing is prevented by engagement of the 1n 46 with the notch 49 until nally just beore the upper limit of slide movement is reached the lu 51 on the slide will engage the finger 52 o the bell-crank, thereby roc ing the latter and releasing the notch 49 from i the pin 46. Immediately, the pull of the spring will swin the arm 39 upwardly until the pin 46 stri es the finger 53 on the bell-crank, thus immediately arresting the.

throw of the arm 39 at its u per limit.

A` similar action will t e place on the downward movement of the slide 28. Durin such downward movement the lug 51 wi 'irst move away from the finger 52 on the bellcrank so as to allow the latter to tilt back into the dotted line position of Figure 3 and insure complete engagement of the notch 48 with the pin 46. Further` downward movement of the slide will continue until the pin 47 moves past the line ofintersecton between the pins 31 and 46. From that time on until the lower limit of movement is reached, thepin 46 will be engaged with the notch 48 so as to retain the arm 39 in the raised position until finally just as the lower limit o slide movement is reached the lug 50 will engage the finger 52 so as to tilt the bell-crank and disengag'e the notch 48 from the pin 46. This will allow the arm 39 to be drawn quickly downwards.`

It will be noticed that the construction illustrated herein includes two mercury switches 43 and 44. These are also shown as being set at slightly different angles with respect to the arm 39. Thus, for example,in Figure 3 the switch 43 lies more nearly horizontal than the switch 44. As a result the switch 43 will open earlier than the switch 44 during the up swing of the arm 39; and on the other hand the switch 44 will close earlier than the switch 43 on the down swing. This arrangement is of course optional since as far as the features of the present invention are concerned the two switches might be set to operate at the same instantor, in fact, they might be set at just the opposite timing with eliminated or aA greater number of switches` rovided as desired. hile I have herein shown` and described only a single embodiment of the features of my present invention, still I do not intend 'to limit myself thereto except as I may do so in the claims.

I claim:

-1. In a switch of the character described, the combination of a slide, means for moving the same up and down, a swinging arm having one end pivoted adjacent to the slide, a bell crank sha d retaining member, a pivotal connection tween the corner portion of the bell crank member and a stationary part, one arm of said member extending towards the slide, and the other are of said member extending substantially parallel tothe slide, an arresting pin on the swinging end of the arm, up er and lower stops on the parallel arm of t e bell crank member in position to be contacted by said arresting pin, said parallel arm being vprovided vwith retaining notches facing the arresting. pin in position to retain the same against swinging movement when the bell crank arm swings over `towards the slide, the slide being suitabl formed to engage the other arm of the be l crank member at the limits of slide movement, a toggle spring connecting the slide with the swinging arm, and suitable switch elements connected to the swinging arm, substantially as described.

` 2. In a switch of the character described," the combination of a slide, means for moving the same up and down, a swinging arm havingone end pivoted adjacent to the slide an L- aped member having horizontal an vertical arms, a pivotal connection between v the central portion of the L-shaped member f and a stationary part, the vertical arm normally occupying a position substantially lriiarallel to the slide, an arresting pin on the rst mentioned arm, upper and lower stops on .the vertical arm in position to be contacted by said arresting pin yto limit the swing of the first mentioned arm, said vertical arm being provided with retaining notches facing the arresting pin in position to retain the same a inst movement when the vertical arm swings over towards the slide, a toggle spring connecting the slide with the first mentioned arm, suitable switch elements on said first mentioned arm, and means for moving the vertical arm away from the slide at positions adjacent to the extreme limits of slide movement, substantially as described. v

3. In a switch of the character described, the combination of a slide, means for moving the same up and down, a swinging arm having one end pivoted adjacent to the slide, an L-shaped member having horizontal and lim;

5 In fact, keither one of the switches might be respect to each other from that illustrated. .vertical arms, a pivotal connection between the central portion of the L-shaped member and a stationary part, the vertical arm normally occupying a position substantially.

parallel to the slide, cooperating vparts on the outer end of the first mentioned arm and on the upper and lower ends of the vertical arm operative effectively to limit vertical swing of the first mentioned arm at upper and lower limits of movement, parts on the vertical arm adapted to retain the first mentioned larm at the upper and lower limits of vertical swing when the L-shaped member swings over towards the slide, a toggle spring connecting the slide with the swinging arm, suitable switch elements on the swinging arm, and cooperating parts on the slide and the L-shaped member adapted to move said L-shaped member away from the slide at positions adjacent to the eXtreme limits of slide movement, substantially as described.

SIEGFRIED HELD. 

